Woodstock’s Influence 40 Years Later

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peace & love-- opened the mind changed the world forever! b.w.

B> W> of FL 3:50PM August 31, 2009

The War Babies and the Baby Boomers grew up with the beginning of rock and roll in the '50s. By the beginning of the '60s you had the trio of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper dead from a plane crash, Elvis had joined the Army, The Kingston Trio were big with family friendly folk music. From then on out, the snowball started rolling and it just got bigger and bigger and bigger, The Beach Boys came along in '62 and then The Beatles hit in '64 (after they had tried to crack the American market for a whole year in '63). Kennedy's assassination, race riots, The British Invasion, Vietnam, the '60s were the biggest domino era that has ever been! One thing hit another which hit another, and youth were feeling it. Musicians were feeling it. It brought out the best in musicians. A lot of the musicians of the '60s were brought up around music as kids, be it first wave rock and roll, country, bluegrass, blues, jazz, classical. Families would play it together and all these elements stayed with these musicians as they grew up into their late teens/early 20s. You had TALENT back then. There was an innocence in the learning of this music and then making it your own once you got older. Sure kids got together in garages then as they do now and tried to be The Rolling Stones or whoever. But it was new and fresh then. The Beatles then showed everyone that the sky's the limit for whatever you want to do with your music, or the recording studio. It's all rotten now. There are those, like me, who want to make music as it was made then. That includes the use of analog tape! Kids are realizing how good tubes sound now and things like that. There is a resurgence of young people buying record players and vinyl. It was the best time ever for music. We'll never have another era of music like the 1960's.

Matthew McKay of CA 2:01AM August 30, 2009

The generation that reached fruition in the 1960s helped create the greatest musical renaissance ever seen in America. The profusion of great artists and great songs marked the creative apex of music in this country, and nothing like it has been seen since (not that much great music isn't continuing to be made, but not in the quantity and diversity seen then.) Many of these guys are still going, Dylan, the Stones, Clapton, others.
Why do young people still dig the music of that era? Because it is fricking great music, that's why. The proof's in the pudding.
That incredible renaissance accompanied and was part and parcel of the counterculture revolution, which, at one time, YES, was a true revolution that still shapes the discussions in this country.

Bob Phillips of MT 11:57PM August 29, 2009

First of it's kind - classics
People will always return to the classics of any age

Becky of AZ 6:12PM August 28, 2009

Born in 1946,I listened and danced to Doowop... Elvis,Jerry lee,Carl Perkins,etc...Girl and Guy groups of the late 50's and early 60's..Surf and Car music..British Invasion,,and so on. None of that music (real music with great lyrics and melodies) advocated violence,hatred,and death with the few exceptions of a couple of radical groups in the late 60's ,early 70's. Today's mainstream "music" is a collection of filth and garbage performed by inferior artists that can't hold a candle to the gret ones that I grew up with. Yes,Don Mclean, the music has truly died.

Gary Christopher of CT 4:29AM August 17, 2009

Rock Music has greatly helped, along with street drugs (the two go hand in hand), to bring about the downfall of this nation!

Harold Reimann of CA 3:58PM August 16, 2009

many groups have tried to copy the great artists such as stevie nicks for example "the dixie chicks".no one can duplicate an artists soul when writing or singing a song.whenever i hear a copy cat of an original piece i laugh a little to myself.its like trying to rewrite "stairway to heaven".the music of the 60's and 70's was awesome.the lyrics,the beat,the music all combined for outstanding albums and singles that still stand the test of time.

susan l.rudnick of NY 12:12PM August 16, 2009

horrible to hear there has got to be a lawyer out there who will represent him pro bono

jk of NY 10:35PM August 15, 2009

The music endures because it had a good beat, you could understand the words and sing along with them. The songs said that things could be better, spoke to the hopes and dreams of our generation and those have been passed on to our children. So much of the "music" out there now is depressing, yelling or screaming instead of singing. The horrible words and degrading attitudes seem to prevail in the modern songs. I find that offensive. "let me have some of that Rock and Roll music".

Nancy Wengert of MI 9:39PM August 15, 2009

That's actually pretty easy: because most music that has come after is putrid and nothing more than product.
The record labels want to know why people aren't buying. Because the product is quite simply product: soulless, lifeless garbage for mass consumption.
Where is our Jimi Hendrix? [Hint: it sure isn't Cobain]

leftystrat of PA 11:08PM August 14, 2009